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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one fell in the middle for me when it comes to thrillers. I found the writing atmospheric and dark, but there was a lot going on-countless characters, flashbacks, etc. that made it hard to follow at times. There were also a lot of heavy themes that felt a bit much: homophobia, xenophobia, racism, classism, rape, incest, the list goes on and on… it felt like there was so much going on that I often forgot the basic premise of the book.
My thoughts: Less is more, but for a debut novel this one was decent. I will for sure check out what this author publishes in the future.
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
My thoughts: Less is more, but for a debut novel this one was decent. I will for sure check out what this author publishes in the future.
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Fabularnie przewidywalna, stylistycznie podrzędna. Prawdopodobnie bym jej nie skończyła, gdyby nie to, że zajęcia, na których utknęłam były jeszcze nudniejsze.
A small town’s secrets start to boil over when a teenage girl goes missing. Abigail’s disappearance leaves her best friend, Emma, bereft and on a quest for the truth. Abi’s older brother, Noah, is trapped in town, trapped in his dysfunctional family, and hiding his relationship with Romanian immigrant Rat. Abi’s father has explosive rage issues, her mother remains silent, and her younger brother, Jude, knows something, but he can’t quite put it all together.
This book is full of twists that kept me turning pages – and full of despicable characters (mostly older men) who left me hoping for justice by the end. I think it would be a good pick for a book club. There are a lot of characters and events to dissect. One big reveal seemed to be handled almost too gently and quickly, though (but I won't say what it is because I don't want to give anything away). I will say, however, that there may need to be some content warnings for some readers.
This book is full of twists that kept me turning pages – and full of despicable characters (mostly older men) who left me hoping for justice by the end. I think it would be a good pick for a book club. There are a lot of characters and events to dissect. One big reveal seemed to be handled almost too gently and quickly, though (but I won't say what it is because I don't want to give anything away). I will say, however, that there may need to be some content warnings for some readers.
*Thanks to Atria Books + NetGalley for the ARC!*
The storytelling was challenging for me - lots of sudden shifts between now and then, and the past POVs were also varying timeframes. Also, every single person in the town was TERRIBLE, with no redeeming qualities, so by the time resolution comes around, it's too late.
The storytelling was challenging for me - lots of sudden shifts between now and then, and the past POVs were also varying timeframes. Also, every single person in the town was TERRIBLE, with no redeeming qualities, so by the time resolution comes around, it's too late.
I read the full second half of this book in one night. I couldn’t put it down. Pieces of the story kept finally fitting together little by little, and it totally pulled me in. This book is HEAVY (TW: abuse, drugs, sex, etc), with few likable character, and a LOT of hateful ones. But if you’re looking for a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time, this one will do it.
Dark and foreboding, this was an intriguing and often disturbing read that I really enjoyed.
When Abigail Blake goes missing, the whole town forms opinions on what may have happened. Was she murdered? Did she run away from her trashy and abusive family? Is she lost in the woods?
Abi’s best friend Emma left Abi at the party in the woods that night and now must live with the consequences. Desperate to find Abi and find answers, when she’s sober enough, Emma sets out to discover the truth. But in the extremely religious and backward town of Cold Creek, it quickly becomes apparent that everyone has secrets and everyone has motive.
I struggled a bit at first to keep track of all the lies and secrets but the author did a good job of reminding us throughout the novel as the suspense built. Some of the secrets felt a bit dragged out but everything unfolded nicely toward the end.
I loved the writing style. The author jumped from character to character to show different viewpoints. It took some getting used to but worked really well for the storyline. There were also flashbacks to “then” alternated with the “now” story which added a lot of depth and helped build Abi’s character.
Emma’s “investigation” into Abi’s disappearance felt authentic and not over the top which I really liked. I also enjoyed that we got clues from so many other characters. It kept the mystery really fresh (and confusing!) which was a positive for me.
Some pages of this novel are filled with blatant hate (homophobia, xenophobia, racial discrimination, sexism) and they were hard to read. Please be warned.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.
When Abigail Blake goes missing, the whole town forms opinions on what may have happened. Was she murdered? Did she run away from her trashy and abusive family? Is she lost in the woods?
Abi’s best friend Emma left Abi at the party in the woods that night and now must live with the consequences. Desperate to find Abi and find answers, when she’s sober enough, Emma sets out to discover the truth. But in the extremely religious and backward town of Cold Creek, it quickly becomes apparent that everyone has secrets and everyone has motive.
I struggled a bit at first to keep track of all the lies and secrets but the author did a good job of reminding us throughout the novel as the suspense built. Some of the secrets felt a bit dragged out but everything unfolded nicely toward the end.
I loved the writing style. The author jumped from character to character to show different viewpoints. It took some getting used to but worked really well for the storyline. There were also flashbacks to “then” alternated with the “now” story which added a lot of depth and helped build Abi’s character.
Emma’s “investigation” into Abi’s disappearance felt authentic and not over the top which I really liked. I also enjoyed that we got clues from so many other characters. It kept the mystery really fresh (and confusing!) which was a positive for me.
Some pages of this novel are filled with blatant hate (homophobia, xenophobia, racial discrimination, sexism) and they were hard to read. Please be warned.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.